The invention is an attachment for broadcasters of the class shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,021, issued Nov. 22, 1966, to Elmer R. Herd. Customarily, in the prior art, the tractor operator must leave the tractor seat in order to open, close or adjust the gating mechanism at the bottom of the seed or fertilizer hopper so as to regulate the discharge of material onto the rotating broadcaster disc. This is obviously inconvenient, time-consuming and costly, particularly in connection with modern day tractors having enclosed air conditioned cabs.
To improve this awkward situation in the prior art, the present invention provides a very simple and economical power mechanism and mechanism support which is attached to the material hopper rearwardly of the tractor cab and is controlled remotely from the interior of the cab by the tractor operator. The mechanism utilizes a standard hydraulic cylinder which is furnished as part of the tractor's equipment and which is operated by simple conventional controls forming a part of the tractor hydraulic system. The entire broadcaster apparatus including the attachment embodying the invention is adapted to be carried by the well-known three point hitch of a tractor.
The invention in two forms additionally features a rocker arm operated by the hydraulic cylinder and an associated push-pull cable, or two cables in one form of the invention, for transmitting movement of the rocker arm in a predetermined ratio to a gate valve element near the outlet of the hopper which serves to regulate the discharge of material from a single or dual outlet opening.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.